Izibakala Ezingemvelaphi YeKrismesi, I-Ista NeHalloween
IBHAYIBHILE ibonisa ukuba ngexesha lePasika yamaYuda ekuqaliseni kwentwasahlobo yonyaka wama-33 C.E., uYesu wabethelelwa kumthi wentuthumbo eneminyaka engama-33 anesiqingatha ezelwe. Xa sibala sibuy’ umva, oku kuthetha ukuba, wazalwa ngexesha lentwasahlobo.
Isikhumbuzo esasisenziwa ngamaRoma angabahedeni sikaSaturnalia, umhla wokuzalwa kwelanga elingenakoyiswa, sasisaza kwenziwa kwiinyanga ezintathu kamva. Kwenzeka njani ukuze isikhumbuzo sokuzalwa kukaYesu sihlehliselwe kuDisemba 25, ukuze senziwe singqamane ngokungenantlonelo kangaka nesikhumbuzo sabahedeni sokuzalwa kwelanga?
Iintsuku ezazisoloko zimfutshane zikaDisemba zashukumisela uloyiko olubangelwa ziinkolelo kubanquli belanga, ababenexhala lokuba uthixo wabo wayesifa. Balumeka amakhandlela bekhanyisa nangezithatha zomlilo ukuze bancede lo thixo ugulayo avuke kukhuko lokufa. Oku kwabonakala kusebenza. Emva kwenjikalanga (solstice) ngoDisemba 21, uthixo welanga wabonakala ehlaziyeka njengoko iintsuku zaziqalisa ukuba nde.
IChurch Christmas Tab iyacacisa: “Inyanga kaDisemba yayiyeyona ibalulekileyo yombhiyozo wabahedeni yaye uDis. 25 yayilolona suku luphambili lwemibhiyozo yasebusika. Bambi bakholelwa ekubeni ubhishophu waseRoma wanyula uDis. 25 njengomhla wokuzalwa kukaKristu ukuze ‘kungcwaliswe’ imibhiyozo yabahedeni. Oko kwabangela ukudibana okungaqhelekanga kwemibhiyozo yabahedeni neyamaKristu nto leyo ngoku ihlabathi eliyibiza ngokuba yiKrismesi.” Eli nqaku liyavuma: “Igama elithi ‘iKrismesi’ alibonakali eBhayibhileni. Yaye iZibhalo aziyaleli ukubhiyozelwa komhla wokuzalwa kukaYesu.”
Akumangalisi ke ngoko ukuba umfundi wezakwalizwi uTertullian wakhalaza esithi: “Kuthi, thina bangaqhelananga neeSabatha nokuthwasa kweenyanga kunye neminye imibhiyozo, eyayikhe yamkeleka kuThixo, iSaturnalia [neminye imisitho yabahedeni] ngoku ibakho ngokuthe rhoqo, ngapha nangapha kudluliselwa izipho, . . . yaye imidlalo nemigidi emikhulu ibhiyozelwa ngendlela yempambano.”
UPopu Gregory I waqhubeka nalo mkhwa ungcolileyo. Ngokutsho kwephephancwadi iNatural History, “kunokuba azame ukuphelisa amasiko nezithethe zabantu, imiyalelo kapopu yayikukuthi, wasebenziseni. Ukuba iqela labantu linqula umthi, kunokuba ugawulwe ibiwunikezela kuKristu ize ilivumele liqhubeke nonqulo lwalo.”
Inyaniso Ayidibani Nobuxoki
Ngaba le nkqubo yokulalanisa iyamkholisa uThixo? Phawula isilumkiso sikaThixo esiya kubantu bakhe ababelungele ukungena kwiKanan eyayizaliswe ngabahedeni: “Zigcine . . . hleze uquqele koothixo bazo, uthi, Zibe zisithini na ezi ntlanga ukubakhonza oothixo bazo? Ndiya kwenjenjalo nam. Uze ungenjenjalo kuYehova uThixo wakho; kuba yonke into elisikizi kuYehova, ayithiyileyo, ziyenzile koothixo bazo.” (Duteronomi 12:30, 31) Kuphindwa kwaesi silumkiso kwiZibhalo zesiGrike zamaKristu: “Musani ukunxulumana nabolunye uhlobo, abangakholwayo ke; kuba kunakwabelana kuni na ubulungisa nokuchasa umthetho? Kunabudlelane buni na ke ukukhanya nobumnyama? Unakuvumelana kuni na ke uKristu noBheliyali [umbhalo osemazantsi, uSathana, NW]? Unasahlulelwano sini na okholwayo nongakholwayo?”—2 Korinte 6:14, 15.
Yintoni le ingamasikizi kangaka kuThixo ngokubhekisele kwaba thixo bobuxoki kwanokubanqula? USaturn wayenguthixo welanga wamaRoma owayehlonelwa ngomhla weSaturnalia. Ngaba wayefanele ahlonelwe? Unjingalwazi wezembali kwiYunivesithi yaseHarvard, uSimon Schama, umbiza ngokuthi “ngumphathi wezidlo ezingalawulekiyo, ukusela nezinye iindlela zokusa.” Iphephancwadi iLear’s liyibiza le holide ngokuba “ngowona msitho udumileyo ekwakusetyenziswa kuwo iwayini ngendlela engalawulekiyo kwihlabathi lamandulo.”
Isithethe sokunqula uthixo welanga uMithra salizalisa elaseAsiya. Ngokutsho kwesinye isazinzulu ngemvelaphi nentlalo yabantu uGabriel Seabrook, ‘wayenguthixo wemfazwe, owaphosa imikhonto etshabalalisayo wabangela nezifo ezinganyangekiyo kwiintshaba zakhe kwithafa ledabi.’
Ngokukodwa kuma-Aztec ukunqulwa kwelanga kwakuzaliswe ligazi. Iphephancwadi iNatural History licacisa ukuba “ngaphandle kokuba kude kubingelelwe ngamaxhoba koothixo belanga, yonke into ephilayo—kuquka nabo thixo—yayiya kufa.”
Xa uhlolisisa imvelaphi yesi sikhumbuzo (bona ibhokisi engasezantsi), mhlawumbi kusenokungamangalisi ukuba amagqwirha nabanquli bakaSathana babe basawuhlonela umhla kaDisemba 25. ISan Fransisco Chronicle kaDisemba 21, 1991, icaphula amazwi elinye igqwirha nawomnye umbhali odumileyo ongumhedeni besithi: “Le yenye yezona holide zethu zidinisayo. Sihlala sithe qwa ubusuku bonke.” Ilungu leqela ekuthiwa yiCovenant of the Goddess (uMnqophiso Wothixokazi) lathi: “Senza imidlalo enxulumene nesithethe. . . . Abathile kubefundisi bethu benza umdlalo waseqongeni ongokuzalwa komntwana welanga.”
Ngaba uThixo okanye uNyana wakhe ubeya kukwamkela ukuhlonelwa okunjalo, ngokucacileyo okulunqulo loothixo bobuxoki?
Ngaba Yi-Ista—Okanye YiAstarte?
Le holide yemisitho yentsapho iqalisa kwakusasa njengoko bevukela ukukhahlela ukuphuma kwelanga ngentlonelo edibene noloyiko. Abantwana banxiba ezimbetshe-mbetshe, baze baqwele ngokuthwala iminqwazi emitsha. Lo mbhiyozo uquka izinto ezifuzisela imivundla, iminyazi ezaliswe ngamaqanda anemibalabala, namaqebengwana athambileyo enziwe anomnqamlezo. Kumele ukuba yi-Ista. Okanye ngaba yiyo ngenene?
Ixesha lentwasahlobo lalingcwele kubanquli besini basePhoenicia. Uthixokazi wabo wendyebo, uAstarte, okanye uIshtar (amaGrike ambiza ngokuba nguAphrodite), wayeneqanda nomvundla njengemifuziselo yakhe. Wayesoloko enxanelwe igazi nokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini. Ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo imifanekiso yakhe yayimbonisa njengonamalungu esini abaxeke ngendlela engathandekiyo okanye ophethe iqanda kukho nomvundla ecaleni kwakhe. Uhenyuzo olungcwele lwaluyinxalenye yesithethe sakhe. EKanan, uthixokazi wesini wayesaziwa njengomfazi kaBhahali. Wayehlonelwa kwimibhiyozo engalawulekiyo apho abantu babezilahlela etywaleni nasekuziphatheni okubi ngokwesini, abanquli bakhe bekholelwa ekubeni ukwenza kwabo iintlobano zesini kwakumenza avuseleleke uBhahali aze abe nobuhlobo obupheleleyo nomkakhe. Ngokutsho kwencwadi ethi Recent Discoveries in Bible Lands, “alikho ilizwe ekwakha kwafunyanwa kulo imifanekiso eqingqiweyo emininzi kangaka ngokwentelekiso yothixokazi wendyebo ohamba ze, ekucace nakuthathatha ukuba ungumfuziselo wokuziphatha okungamanyala.”
Ngaphantsi kwamatye ezikhumbuzo zakhe eCarthage, kwafunyanwa izitya zodongwe ezinemibala eqaqambileyo nezinamathambo atshisiweyo abantwana abancinane. Abazali babo, ngokuqhelekileyo abangabantu abazizihandiba, babefuna ukusikelelwa ngaba thixo kubutyebi namandla abo. Zimbi zezi zitya zafunyanwa zinamathambo abantwana abaninzi nabakubudala obahlukeneyo, mhlawumbi ababengabentsapho enye.
Ukuba ukhangela kule bhokisi ingasentla uya kubona indlela ezijikwe kancinane ngayo iinguqulelo zezi zithethe zamandulo. Kwanegama elithi Ista alahlukanga ngokupheleleyo kwigama lamandulo labahedeni. Ngoko, ngaba le yindlela ahlonelwa ngayo uNyana kaThixo ongcwele?
IHalloween—Ubusuku Oboyikekayo Bamandulo
Obu bubusuku bokugqibela benyanga kaOktobha. Xa inyanga ikhanya, iqaqobana labantu elinxibe ngohlobo oluthile lihamba kwindlu ngendlu lichaza izinto elizifunayo kwaye lisongela ngokoyikekayo. Kwizinyuko ezithile zeminyango kukho izibane ezenziwe okwethanga ukuze zifane nobuso bomntu ezikhanyise ngamakhandlela avuthayo—enziwe ngamafutha abantu. Kweminye iminyango kuthontsiza igazi labantu. Obu bubusuku bukaSamhain, inkosi yabafileyo yamaCeltic.
Mhlawumbi asikho esinye isikhumbuzo esibizwa ngokuba “sesamaKristu” apho uSathana azihlonela ngokucace kangaka aze akhumbule abalandeli bakhe abafileyo. Umbhali uJ. Garnier uvakalisa ukuba izikhumbuzo zentlungu nokufa zinokulandwa emva kwintshabalaliso yamandulo yabo bonke abalandeli bakhe neyoonyana abangamabhastile bezithunywa zezulu ezawela esonweni ngexesha likaNogumbe. Ehlabathini jikelele amabutho abantu abhiyozela abafi, “nto leyo eyayisenziwa ngabantu bonke ngosuku okanye malunga nosuku awabakho ngalo uNogumbe, ngokutsho kwengxelo yomthetho kaMoses, oko kukuthi, usuku lweshumi elinesixhenxe lwenyanga yesibini—inyanga ephantse ingqamane nenyanga kaNovemba yomhla wethu.”—The Worship of the Dead, nguJ. Garnier.
AmaDruid ayengahlukanga koku. Ngo-Oktobha 31, kwakusithiwa uSamhain wayekhulula imimoya yabafileyo ukuze inxulumane nabantu abaphilayo. AmaDruid ayesihla enyuka ezitratweni ephethe izibane aze xa efika endlwini, abize imali engumnikelo oya kuSathana.
Usuku lweHalloween lusuku olubalaseleyo lwesithethe sobusathana. Ngokutsho kwenqaku lephephandaba iUSA Today, “yiholide yonqulo eyenzelwa abafi, apho abanquli bakaSathana benza imibingelelo aze ngokuzolileyo amagqwirha enze isikhumbuzo ngokwenza umthandazo ngokwamaqela okanye ngokwenzela abafileyo izidlo.” Kweli phephandaba kwacatshulwa amazwi egqwirha laseWashington uBryan Jordan athi, “[AmaKristu] akakuqondi oku, kodwa abhiyozela iholide yethu kunye nathi. . . . Sikuthanda ngokwenene oko akwenzayo.”
Bazali, ngaba nifuna abantwana benu balinganise ezi zithethe zingalunganga?
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 20]
Imiqondiso YeKrismesi
Umthi weKrismesi “awunanto yakwenza nesikhumbuzo samaKristu kunoko unxulumene ngakumbi nezithethe zabahedeni zokukhanya kwasebusika nokuzalwa kwakhona ebeziqhubeka ukutyhubela amawaka eminyaka.” (The Boston Herald) “Kangangeenkulungwane imithi ejinga izinto zokuhombisa yayiyinxalenye yemisitho yabahedeni.”—Church Christmas Tab.
IHolly yayidume kakhulu kumaCelt “kusenzelwa ukuba imimoya yasendlwini iziphathe kakuhle ngexesha lokutshona kwelanga. . . . Yayigxotha imimoya engendawo, inceda ekulawuleni amaphupha, ikhusela nendlu ekubethweni ngumbane.”—Beautiful British Columbia.
INdembu “yayisuka eNgilani kumaDruid awayeyisebenzisa kunqulo olunxulumene needemon namandla omlingo.”—Church Christmas Tab.
NgoDisemba 25 “abanquli bakaMithra babesenza isikhumbuzo sokuzalwa kukaMithra . . . Ngokuqinisekileyo awukho umyalelo weBhayibhile othetha ngoDisemba 25 njengosuku lokuZalwa kukaKristu.”—Isaac Asimov.
Ukunikana izipho yayiyinto eyayisenziwa ngeSaturnalia. “Kulo msitho wawulindeleke ukuba unikele ngezipho kwizihlobo zakho zonke.”—Ancient Italy and Modern Religion.
Inkwenkwezi “ephezu komthi yayinqulwa eMpuma njengomqondiso wokuba nyulu, ukulunga noxolo kwiminyaka engama-5 000 ngaphambi komhla wokuzalwa kukaKristu.”—United Church Herald.
Ikhandlela “alisuki . . . kwingcwele yamaKristu. Salithabatha kwisibingelelo samandulo, esingumthi wom-oki wamaDruid.”—United Church Herald.
USanta wabiwa “kwintsomi yamandulo yaseJamani: ‘UThor wayeyindoda esele ikhulile, eyayisoloko ichwayitile yaye inobuhlobo, wayesisigantsontso esasinentshebe ende emhlophe. Wayedla ngokuqhuba inqwelo yokulwa yaye kuthiwa wayehlala kwilizwe laseNtshona . . . Wayekholelwa ekubeni zonke izinto emhlabeni zenziwe ngomlilo, umbala awayewuthanda ngobomvu. Kumzi ngamnye indawo ekubaswa kuyo yayingcwele kuye, yaye kuthiwa wayesihla aye kuyo ngetshimini.”—United Church Herald.
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 21]
Izithethe Zasentwasahlobo
I-Ista ‘ekuqaleni yayingumbhiyozo owenziwa entwasahlobo ngenjongo yokunikel’ imbeko kuthixokazi wokukhanya wamaTeuton yaye kumaNgesi namaSaxon intwasahlobo yayisaziwa njenge-Eastre.’ (The Westminster Dictionary of the Bible) “KwiTestamente Entsha akukho ndawo ikhankanya ukugcinwa kwesikhumbuzo se-Ista.”—Encyclopædia Britannica.
Umvundla “wawupheleka uthixokazi wamaJamani uOstara.”—Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend.
Amaqanda “kwakusithiwa ayejikwa ibala aze atyiwe kwimibhiyozo yasentwasahlobo kwiYiputa, iPersi, iGrisi neRoma yamandulo.”—Celebrations.
Umnqwazi we-Ista ekuqaleni “wawuba sisithsaba seentyatyambo okanye samagqabi. Isangqa okanye isithsaba sasiyimbonakaliso yelanga elingqukuva nendlela elihamba ngayo emazulwini ebangela ukuba kubuye ixesha lasentwasahlobo.” Kwavela ukunxitywa kwempahla entsha ye-Ista kuba “kwakugqalwa njengokuswel’ imbeko okubangela ilishwa ukukhahlela uthixokazi weNtwasahlobo okanye iEastre waseScandinavia, unxibe nje nantoni na ngaphandle kweempahla ezintsha, ekubeni uthixokazi wayezisa iimpahla ezintsha ehlabathini.”—The Giant Book of Superstitions.
Amaqebengwana athambileyo enziwe anomnqamlezo: “NjengamaGrike, amaRoma ayesitya izonka ezinophawu lomnqamlezo . . . xa esenza imibingelelo yasesidlangalaleni.” Zazityiwa ngabantu baseSaxon abangabahedeni bebonakalisa intlonelo kwi-Ista.—Encyclopædia Britannica.
Iinkonzo zokuphuma kwelanga zazifana nemibhiyozo “eyayisenziwa ngexesha lasentwasahlobo kusamkelwa ilanga namandla alo amakhulu okuzisa ubomi obutsha kuzo zonke izinto ezikhulayo.”—Celebrations.
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 22]
Imvelaphi Engamasikizi YeHalloween
Izigqubuthelo nezinxibo: “AmaCelt ayelungiselela imimoya ukutya, isiselo nezinye izipho ezincinane aze ke ngoko ayikhohlise ukuze imke ngokunxiba izigqubuthelo nezinxibo ezithile aze ahambe ngomkrozo ukusa esiphelweni sedolophana leyo.”
Izithatha zomlilo “‘yayizizithatha’ zokoqobo” apho “ngokufuthi ababingeleli babefuna ukwanelisa uthixo welanga ngokubingelela ngezilwanyana kwanangabantu.” (The Tampa Tribune) “Ngokuqwalasela indlela ezifa ngayo izinto ababebingelela ngazo, amaDruid ayekhangela izinto eziza kubakho kwixesha elizayo.”—Beaumont Enterprise.
“Trick or treat” (umdlalo wokucelwa kwezipho okanye ukusetyenziswa kwezoyikiso): “Indlela ayecela ngayo amaDruid yayifana ne‘Trick or Treat.’ eyenziwa namhlanje.”—Central Coast Parent.
Amabali oyikisayo: “Kwakusoloko kubaliswa ngezithethe zamaDruid zokuphalaz’ igazi xa kugxininiswa kulutsha ngezithunzela nemimoya. . . . Kwakhona amatheko enziwa ngeHalloween kwanamabali oyikisayo asuka phaya kumaxesha amaDruid apho kwakukholelwa ekubeni imimoya ihamba-hamba kulo lonke ilizwe.”—The Tampa Tribune.
Phezu kwayo nje imvelaphi yobuhedeni yezi holide, bambi abacingi ngokungabavumeli abantwana babo ukuba bazonwabise kwimibhiyozo yale mihla. Ngapha koko, yintoni abayaziyo abantwana abafundisiweyo ngoSaturn, uAstarte noSamhain wamandulo? Bambi babo banokuncinane abakwaziyo ngabo. Kwakhona bayazi ukuba abafuni nanye into yabo.
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UMithra
UThor
[Inkcazelo]
Mithra: Musée du Louvre, Paris
Thor: The Age of Fable by T. Bulfinch, 1898
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UAstarte
[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 22]
Skull: U.S. Forest Service photo